Scallops 'n Pasta

By Foodiewife

The secret to getting a beautiful sear on scallops is to make sure that you pat them very, very dry. You don't want to overcook the scallops. This dish can be ready in 15 minutes. If you follow my directions, on my food blog, you can have tender and flavorful scallops that your family will love-- and it's much cheaper than ordering at a restaurant.
This recipe is adapted from "Steamy Kitchen"

Ingredients

• 4 ounces uncooked pasta, your choice
• 10 whole giant sea scallops, or jumbo shrimp
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter (I omitted the butter and used all olive oil)
• 1 clove garlic, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons shallots, finely diced (optional)
• 1 whole tomato, chopped (I used Roma)
• 1/2 to 1 cup white wine (I used Sauvignon Blanc)
• 1/2 cup chicken or vegetable stock (double, if not using the white wine)
• 4 to 6 leaves fresh basil (or 1 sprig parsley, finely minced)
• Just a bit of freshly squeezed lemon juice
• Salt and pepper

Preparation

Step 1

Cook the pasta in salted water per the instructions on the box. Drain and set aside.

In the meantime, prepare all the ingredients and have them ready. For the scallops (or shrimp), use a couple of layers of paper towels and pat very dry. Remove the "feet" (tough piece attached to the scallop). Move the scallops to a clean sheet of paper towel and pat dry once more. Season with salt and pepper on both sides.

Heat a large frying pan or saute pan over high heat. When hot, swirl in the olive oil. Add the scallops to the pan, not touching. Give each scallop ample room so that they can sear properly. Cook for 2 minutes without touching (1 1/2 minutes if using smaller pieces of scallops or shrimp) then flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until cooked through. Remove to a plate.

Turn the heat to low. Add the butter (or olive oil) and the garlic. Saute for just 10 seconds and then add the tomatoes.

Turn the heat to high and add in the white wine (chicken or vegetable stock). Let it bubble a bit for 30 seconds and use your spatula to scrape up the bits in the pan. Season with salt and pepper (go light on the salt … remember your pasta is lightly salted now) and then add in your cooked pasta. Stir well to let the sauce coat the pasta. Serve with the scallops.

Garnish with fresh basil and some freshly grated Parmesan Cheese.

Quick, simple and delicious.